The Rose Ties
by Phantom's Angel of Light
Summary: Raoul and Erik are both looking for peace. It has been many years since they last saw each other. Raoul stands at Christine's grave...waiting. NOT SLASH. Movie based. REVIEW REVIEW!


**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Phantom of the Opera**_** or anything to do with it. I only (humbly) use the charters in it t write my stories.**

**A/N: I am not a Raoul fan AT ALL, but I thought this would be cool to write about so here goes.**

**The rose ties **

Raoul stands in the cemetery, looking at the grave of the one woman he loved for so many years. His driver and his nurse wait for him to finish. He places the monkey in Persian robes down on the gravestone. Even after so many years, never seeing the Phantom, she still remembered him in her death.

He would live on, even if no one knew it. Though he had burned the Opera House, killed, and other horrible things, he was still great to toughs who looked past his face and into his soul. At seeing the rose and the ring, freshly placed on the grave, Raoul knew that Erik was there, hiding.

"Leave me." He said, "Come back in an hour, please." Without a word, the two people left, knowing that there was no way to change his mind about staying. After seeing the car drive off, Raoul looked around, "You can show yourself now Erik." He said in a loud voice, or at least loud for him.

At that moment, Erik walked out from behind a nearby gravestone. Though it had been many years, Erik was still the Angel of Music. He was Tall, his hair though a little grayer was still the brown hansom look he always had. His face was like stone, though he wore no mask. A few more wrinkles in his face, not from age, but from sorrow.

He still wore his cape and was all in black. Age did not seem to have any affect on him like it did Raoul, who couldn't walk much, and looked a 100 years older. Erik spoke then, his voice strong and music like with, maybe, a hint of sorrow.

"What is it that you want?' "Just to make peace Erik. She wanted you to know…" looking down again at the grave, "…that she loved you more than I…though she went with me. You were with her all through the years, helping and guiding her. Her last words, as hard as it is to say '_I love you Erik'_. Not me but you Erik…her angel."

Erik thought for a moment and Raoul sat back in his chair, for he was tired. Erik walked with a wide stride up to Raoul's chair "If you wish, you may kill me." Raoul looked at Erik with his old blue eyes "…I have nothing left."

"No…" Erik said in a soft voice. He kneeled down at Raoul's feet "I came here to have peace also. Before I die, I must have it, just once, just one more moment of it. The thing I never had Raoul. It was me who did this to you and her, I want to ask for your forgiveness."

Raul looked at Erik's bowed head, shock in his eyes. This man he thought a killer, a man, a beast, without feeling was asking for something so human. He knew then why Christine loved him, why she never truly gave all of herself to him. He knew then that Erik was a man, and all that he wanted was love. This was his chance, his last one, for him and Erik to have peace; for Erik to have love…once in his life.

"Yes…yes I forgive you Erik but I must ask something of you, one last thing."

"What?" Erik looked up, his jade eyes questioning "That you let me be a guest in your house one last time, as friends. I do not wish to die like a king now, kings are nothing to me."

Erik stood up slowly, Raoul feared that he was angry with him for asking such a thing but he was shocked by what he heard him say. "You may." So simple, yet so strong. "I fear I have only a carriage to take you in."

"Then you must help me walk." Raoul said as he also stood and Erik took his arm very gently. So many years ago, he would heave kill him if Raoul touched him, but now the past was the past. Two enemies walking as friends, not only for the woman they loved but also for themselves.

Erik helped Raoul into the carriage.

When they reached Erik's home, it was the same as it had always been. Raoul felt death was close, Erik could tell. Erik helped him take his hat and coat off. At that moment, Raoul fell, his heart weak. Erik was there; making sure Raoul would not die on the floor. In Erik's arms Raoul laid, ready for death to come and give him peace. Erik looked down at Raoul face, waiting.

"Thanks you Erik, for being a friend. I…I ask only…that no one find my body, I want…peace. I give what…I could not in life Erik…my love is yours." Raoul died in Erik's arms. Something he thought he would never do, he died as Erik's friend.

Tears were in Erik's eyes as he placed Raoul's body in the boat. He took a torch and burned it. Watching the last of Raoul's ashes fall into he water, Erik walked to the bedchamber. He knew that his work was done, he was ready.

As he lay there, he thought only of his love, Raoul had given her to him…she was his now…for all time…forever. There Erik breathed his last. No one ever found Erik's home, his body lays there still; his home the same.

He next thing Erik felt was the one thing that he had looked for all of his life…Love. He turned to see Christine looking on him with love. She ran into his arms "Erik, you are here…my angel."

"Yes my love…I am here forever." She then kissed Erik and he kissed her back. They held each other, just loving each other.

To this day, sometimes little children look up into the night sky and see Erik and Christine walking together. They remember their undying love for each other. They remember Erik.

**A/N: I hope you liked it, Review. **


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